All A (stories) is B (memory) All B (memory is C (fiction) therefore All A is C (stories are fiction)
correct syllogism WC --- On Sat, 1/3/09, Michael Brady <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Michael Brady <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Malcolm Gladwell and beliefs > To: [email protected] > Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009, 8:46 AM > On Dec 31, 2008, at 12:25 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > > Your position is "All stories are based on > memory. All memories are > > fiction." 'All X are Y, and all Y are Z' > entails that all X are Z. > > Ergo all stories > > are fiction. > > Poooor syllogism. Your first premise does not share a term > with your > second premise. > > All X are based on Y. > All Y are Z. > -> ??? All X are based on Z? > > Your conclusion ("all stories *are* fiction") > does not express the > same idea signified by "all stories *are based on* > memories." > > > I can't believe you don't see a distinction > between a lie and truth, > > so I asked what word you use to express that > distinction, given you > > extremely unusual > > usage of the word 'fiction'. > > A fiction isn't necessarily and exclusively a lie. A > "lie" signifies a > known untruth that one person utters to deceive another > person. A > "fiction" is not necessarily an untruth; rather, > it signifies, > minimally, a replica, a representation, a thing made up to > resemble or > stand in for another. > > A map is a fiction, but a useful one. A map can be wrong > for several > reasons. It can be extremely abbreviated, because of its > size or for > other reasons: that is regarded as an inconsequential > aspect. It can > be made with faulty or deficient information: that's an > error. Or it > can be made intentionally to mislead [literally!]: that is > a lie. > > > | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > Michael Brady > [email protected]
